Television receiver synchronizing



` P. E. REEVES TELEVISION RECEIVER SYNCHRONIZING SYSTEM Aug. 7, 1951 Filed June l0. 1949 -HIS AGENT Patented ug. 7, 195i TELEVISION RECEIVER SYNCHRONIZING SYSTEM Pierce E. Reeves, Los Angeles, Calif., assignor to Zenith Radio Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application June 10, 1949, Serial No. 98,191

claims. l

This invention relates to television receivers of the type employing a cathode-ray tube for reproducing an image from a received A television signal, and more particularly to improved synchronizing systems for use in such receivers to cause an electron beam in the cathode-ray tube to be deflected in synchronism with the received signal.

In order to obtain satisfactory images on the screen of the cathode-ray tube in a television receiver, it is necessary that the synchronizing systems employed in the receiver, for driving the deflection generators therein in synchronism with received television signals, exhibit a high degree of immunity to noise disturbances and the like. This is particularly important in the case of the relatively high frequency horizontal, or line, synchronizing system, since this system is highly sensitive to such noise disturbances which tend to destroy both the synchronization and the interlace of the reproduced image.

To overcome the deleterious eiects of these noise disturbances, synchronizing systems have been proposed that have a high degree of immunity to such disturbances. One type, for example, consists of an oscillator circuit, a reactance tube circuit for controlling the frequency of the oscillator circuit, and a discriminator network adapted to receive a signal of sinusoidal waveform from the oscillator circuit and synchro nizing pulses from a received television signal. The discriminator network develops a control potential having a magnitude and sense dependent upon the phase relation between the sine Wave and synchronizing pulses applied thereto, and this potential is applied to the reactance tube circuit, which in turn controls the frequency of the oscillator circuit. The disadvantage of this system is that it requires a relatively large number of discharge devices, and is quite complicated and expensive.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved synchronizing system for use in television receivers, and the like, to cause the electron beam in the cathode-ray tube included in such receivers to be deected in synchronism with the synchronizing-signal components of a received television signal.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an improved synchronizing system which exhibits a high degree of immunity to noise disturbances and other extraneous signals.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide such an improved synchronizing system that is extremely accurate and reliable in operation,

. 2 yet uses a minimum of component parts and electron-discharge device circuits.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such an improved synchronizing system that is relatively economical to manufacture.

The features of this invention which are believed to be new are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which the single figure represents a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring now to the single figure, the television receiver illustrated therein comprises, a radio-frequency amplifier I0. a first detector II. an intermediate-frequency amplifier I2, a second detector I3, and a video amplifier I4, al1 these components being cascade connected in the wellknown manner to form a portion of a television receiver, and thesev components being of the type Widely used in present-day television systems. The input terminals of the radio-frequency amplier I0 may be connected to a suitable antenna I5, and the output terminals of the video amplifier I4 are connected to the control electrode and cathode of a cathode-ray image-reproducing tube I6 to control the intensity of the electron vbeam in this tube, in the usual fashion.

The output terminals of the second detector I3 are also connected to a synchronizing-signal separator circuit I1, and one pair of output terminals of the separator are connected to a vertical-deflection generator I8. The vertical-defiection generator I8 is connected to vertical beam-deflecting coils I9, or other suitable deflection elements, of the cathode-ray tube I6 tocontrol the vertical sweep of theelectron beam in this tube. A second pair of output termtnals of the synchronizing-signal separator I'I are connected to a horizontal-deflection generator 20 through a synchronizing system represented generally as 2I The output terminals of the generator 20 are connected to horizontal beam-deflecting coils 22, or other suitable beam-deflection elements, of the tube IE to control the horizonta sweep of the electron beam in the tube.

The synchronizing system 2| forms the basis of the present invention, and although this system -is shown as included in the horizontal, or line,

synchronizing circuit of the receiver; it may also be included in the vertical, or field, synchronizing circuit thereof, when so desired. YThe system l2 IA includes an electron-discharge device 23. One

28 through a resistor 34, and the cathodeis further connected to ground through a resistor-35.

The synchronizing system 2| also includes a discharge device 36 which is connected as an oscillator circuit. One terminal "of the'secondary- The cathode 33 ofthe devicev 23 Y'isi connected to the positive terminal of the source widing 31 of the saturable transformer 3:I is.A ,i

coupled to the control electrode 38 of the device 36 through a capacitor 39, this. control electrode being connected to ground through a grid-leak resistor V4f). The Winding 31is shunted'by a capacitor 4I to form the frequency-determining circuit of the oscillator. The cathode 42 of the device 36v is connected'to the cathode 33 ofthe device 23 through a resistor 43, and is also connected to the center-tap of the winding 31. The screen electrode 44 of the device 36 isconnected to the positive terminal' of the source 2B through a. resistorv 45, and this. electrode is Icy-passed' to ground through a capacitor 46. The suppressor electrodeV 41 of the device 36 is connected to the cathode A42, and the anode 48 of this device is connected to the positive terminal of the' source 28 g through a resistor'48. The anode 49 is coupled to one of the input terminals of the horizontal-de'- fiection generator 2|!v through a'capacitor 50the other input` terminal thereof being grounded.

The radio-frequency amplifier I6 and the first detector I I' may be tuned to amplify and heterodyne a television signal intercepted by the antenna I5, and an intermediate-frequency signal is produced at the output terminals of the first detector II in response thereto. This intermediatefrequency signal is amplified in the intermediatefrequency amplifier I2, and detected in the second Vdetector I3. The resulting video signals fromv the detector I3 are-amplified inthe video amplifier I4 and impressed on the control electrode of" the receiver image tube I6 lto control the intensity of the electron beam therein, in the well known manner. v'

The synchronizing-signal components of the received televisionsignal are removed fromthe detected signal by means of the synchronizing.- signal separator I1,` and the vertical synchronizing pulses therefrom, are used. to drive theverti- 'cal-deflection generator I8 and, hence, the vertipal sweep of the device I6, in synchronism with the vertical synchronizing-signal components of the received signal. The horizontal-synchronizing'pulses from the separator I1 are supplied to the control electrode 24 of the device 23, these pulsesvhaving a positivepolarity, as shownvby the diagram 60. l

Thescreen electrode 44, control electrode 38 and cathodeV 42 of the ldevice 36 are connected to form a sine-wave oscillator, the winding 31` oi 'the saturable .transformer 3| and the capacitor 4|, as previously stated, forming the frequencydetermining;circuit,` of this oscillator: The: capacitor 4| may-bevaried to alter the;l frequency r`of theoscillator, and Vthis capacitor lis adjusted te a position wherein the free-running frequency lengths pcmator .15., Substantially equal .to .the

4 repetition frequency of the horizontal-synchronizing pulses from the separator I1.

The sine-Wave signal 6I from the oscillator is supplied to the cathode 33 of the device 23 through the resistor 43. The cathode 33 of this device is positively biased by the potentiometer arrangementA of the resistors 3,4 and35 shunted across the"l potential source 28. This bias is such that the device 23 is conductive only when the sine-Wave 6| and the positive pulses 60 are applied thereto, and not to the sine-wave 6I alone.

this manner current pulses flow through the device 23 which have an amplitude that is a functionv of the;- phase relation between the pulses 60 and' the 'sine-Wave. 6|. These current pulses are integrated in; an vintegrating circuit formed by the resistor 29 and capacitor 32, and give rise to a steady current flow through the primary winding 36.015 the saturable transformer 3|, this current having amplitude variations determined by the. phase relation between the synchronizing pulses 60 and the sine. wave 6 I A' The transformer 3| is so constructed that current variations in its primary winding 3|]V cause corresponding variations in thesaturation'ofI the core. of this transformer. These variations in the core saturation. alter the effective inductance of the winding 31 and, hence, the frequency of the oscillator ofthe device 36. The arrangement is such that when the phase between the pulses 60 and the sine wave 6I tends toshift sov as to increase the currentY through theV winding 30; the resulting increase inthe saturation'fof the core of the transformer 3| alters the. effective inductance, of thewindirig. 31 and, hence, the frequency ofthe oscillator in acompensating direction to tend to decrease the. current through the winding 30. Y

The oscillator of the synchronizing systeml 2| is synchronized in the above described manner with the incoming synchronizing pulses. Noise disturbances have little or no effect on the synchronization of the oscillator since, due to their random nature,` they are incapable of causing any material variation in the integrated current through the winding 30 of the saturable trans.- former 3|. Furthermore, due to the inherent stability of sine wave oscillators, Vthe 4oscillator continues to oscillate at substantially the frequency of the synchronizing pulses even rduring periods when these pulses are obliterated by noise or'fading. Y

The device 36l is so biased that pulses 62 appear in its anode circuit in response to the'positive peaks of the. sine wave'generated by the oscillator. These pulses 62 are utilized to drive the horizontal-deflection generator 20, in the usual fashion.

While a specific. embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modificationsmay be made, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim: f 1.. A deflection system for deflecting a cathoderay beam i-ni a television receiver cathode-ray image-reproducing device comprising: generator apparatus for supplying a deflection signal to said device; an oscillator coupled to said generator apparatusr for driving said apparatus and including a resonant frequency-determining circuit; an inductivedevice having a magnetically saturable corey included. in said frequency-determining circuit' of said oscillator; and a circuit coupled to the outputof said oscillator, and re- 'all sponsive to the joint application of the output signal from said oscillator and a received synchronizing-pulse signal for supplying to said inductive device a control current having variations determined by the phase relation betwe-en said synchronizing-pulse signal and said output signal to vary the magnetic saturation of said core, thereby to control the inductance of said frequency-determining circuit and the operation of said oscillator.

2. A deflection system for defiecting a cathoderay beam in a television receiver cathode-ray image-reproducing device comprising: generator apparatus for supplying a deflection signal to said device; a sine-wave oscillator coupled to said generator apparatus for driving said apparatus and including a resonant frequency-determining circuit; a transformer including a magnetically saturable core and a primary winding, and having a secondary winding included in said frequency-determining circuit of said oscillator; and an electron discharge-device circuit coupled to the output of said oscillator, and responsive to the joint application of the sine-wave signal from said oscillator and a received synchronizingpulse signal, for supplying to said primary Winding a control current having amplitude variations determined by -the phase relation between said synchronizing-pulse signal and said sinewave signal to vary the magnetic saturation of said core, thereby to control the inductance of said frequency-determining circuit and the frequency of said oscillator.

3. A deflection system for deflecting a cathoderay beam in a television receiver cathode-ray image-reproducing device comprising: generator apparatus for supplying a deection signal to said device, an oscillator coupled to said generator apparatus for driving said apparatus and including a resonant frequency-determining circuit; a transformer including a magnetically saturable core and a primary Winding, and having a secondary winding included in said frequency-determining circuit of said oscillator; a circuit including an electron discharge device having an anode, a cathode, and a control electrode; an integrating network coupling said anode to said primary Winding; means for supplying a received synchronizing-pulse signal to said control electrode; and means for supplying the sine-Wave signal from said oscillator to said cathode; said circuit producing in said primary winding a current having amplitude variations determined by the phase displacement between said synchronizing-pulse signal and said sinewave signal to vary the magnetic saturation of said core, thereby to control the inductance of said frequency-determining circuit and the frequency of said oscillator in a direction to compensate for such displacement.

4. A synchronizing system for use in television receivers, and the like, comprising: an oscillator for producing a control signal and including a resonant frequency-determining circuit; utilization means coupled to said oscillator and controlled by said control signal; an inductive device having a magnetically saturable core included in said frequency-determining circuit of said oscillator; and a circuit coupled to the output of said oscillator, and responsive to the joint application of said control signal and a received synchronizing signal, for supplying to said inductive device a current having variations determined by the phase displacement between said control signal and said synchronizing signal to vary the magnetic saturation of said core, thereby to control the inductance of said frequencydetermining circuit and the operation of said oscillator in a sense to compensate for such displacement.

5. A synchronizing system for use in television receivers, and the like, comprising: an oscillator for producing a sine-wave signal and including a resonant frequency-determining circuit; utilization means coupledl to said oscillator and controlled by said sine-wave signal; a transformer including a magnetically saturable core and a primary winding, and having a secondary winding included in vsaid frequency-determining circuit of said oscillator; and a circuit coupled to the output of said oscillator, and responsive to the joint application of said sine-wave signal and a` received synchronizing-pulse signal, for supplying to said primary winding a current having amplitude variations determined by the phase displacement between said sine-wave signal and said synchronizing-pulse signal to vary the magnetic saturation of said core, thereby to control the inductance of said frequency-determining circuit and the frequency of said oscillator in a direction to compensate for such displacement.

PIERCE E. REEVES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,101,520 Tolson et al. Dec. 7, 1937 2,217,831 Ballard Oct. 15, 1940 2,253,355 Taylor Aug. 19, 1941 2,308,908 Bahrng Jan. 19, 1943 2,320,551 Bahrng June 1, 1943 2,358,297 Bedford Sept. 19, 1944 2,440,895 Cawein May 4, 1948 2,482,150 Bocciarelli Sept. 20, 1949 

